Most people living in the United States assume that their first amendment rights, more specifically freedom of religion, are inherent; and they are.  Religion has a long history; the first recorded religion was in Mesopotamia around 5000 BCE (Britannica).  With more and more countries becoming modernized and recognizing people’s individual rights, however, how many still deny freedom of religion?  Is separating church and state an indispensable element in protecting a citizen’s freedom of religion, or could some laws attaining to religion be beneficial in protecting religious freedom?  This essay’s function is to answer the above questions and give a further understanding to religious freedom around the world.

        One of the main reasons why pilgrims decided to travel across the Atlantic Ocean to a new world in 1620 was to escape the religious persecution in England (Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick).  A lot may argue that this is why religious freedom (and for the most part today, tolerance) is so evident in our country.  On the opposite side of the spectrum, however, look at Saudi Arabia.  The country formed, in part, due to a holy war, has a monarchial government, and adopted the Islamic holy text, The Koran, as its constitution (BBC).  It also prohibits any religion except for a conservative version of Sunni Islam (US Department of State).  It wouldn’t be accurate, however, to assume that every country’s current-day religious tolerance depends on its foundation.  Take Cuba for example: the country was founded by the Spanish, who formed it into a Catholic nation.  When Fidel Castro took over power, he made Cuba a totally atheistic nation (NCRonline).  The point I’m making here is that although some countries with religious tolerance are founded on such beliefs, some are not and gravitate towards a different belief than what was originally intended.  

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        The ancient Persians, more specifically Cyrus the Great, founded the first religious freedom law in the 6th century BC.  However, you have to understand that freedom of religion, religious tolerance, and freedom of worship are all different and have all varied to some degree in the past.  Most countries today allow the freedom of religion, and extremely tolerant countries like the United States or Canada allow the freedom to assemble and worship.  On the other hand, you have countries like Sudan.  Sudan allows limited tolerance of other religions, but has declared Islam as its national religion and requires all laws be ...

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